


Three Knocks on Bilbo's Door

by peternureyev



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works, The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Everybody Lives, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, M/M, Short One Shot, alternative ending, anunexpectedanniversary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-29
Updated: 2015-04-29
Packaged: 2018-03-25 20:28:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3823915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peternureyev/pseuds/peternureyev
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first knock comes as Bilbo Baggins is making a cup of tea.</p><p>For #anunexpectedanniversary over on tumblr</p>
            </blockquote>





	Three Knocks on Bilbo's Door

The first knock comes as Bilbo Baggins is making a cup of tea. It is quarter past eleven and any respectable hobbit would be well into elevenses by now. But not Bilbo. He has not taken elevenses since his unexpected return a little over a year ago.

The knock is sharp, purposeful, and Bilbo knows who it is before he is even out of his seat.

Lobelia Sackville-Baggins is as frustrating and flamboyant as ever, bursting into the cosy hobbit hole with flair. She wears a garish yellow and large, ugly hat. Bilbo sighs.

“Hello Lobelia,” he begins as cordially as he can. “What can I do for you toda-”

“There are dwarves in town!” she interrupts. “Dwarves! Again! Bilbo, if these intruders have anything to do with you, I command you to remove them! I will not have those _monsters_ messing up my peonies again!”

Bilbo’s heart drops, partly from fear, partly from excitement. He has missed his dwarvish friends, yes, and he greatly hopes it is Balin or Ori bringing news from Erebor. But also…he cannot face them just yet. It is too soon.

After a good ten minute rant on ill treatment to her ‘poor petunias’, Bilbo loses it with Lobelia, and they spiral into a passionate argument about the so called ‘unruly and disgusting manners of dwarves’. An insulted Lobelia leaves, taking at least one lace doily and a china dog with her. Bilbo doesn’t mind, however, too caught up in his thoughts to care.

 

The second knock comes as Bilbo settles down with a good book. At first he thinks he has imagined the sound, but then it comes again, a ‘rat-a-tat-tat’ on the window pane. Angrily, he storms to the door, almost afraid it might be one of his old friends. But it is far worse.

“Bilbo Baggins, my old friend!”

“No! None today thank you! I will have no more adventures! Whatever it is, you will not rope me in this time!”

He slams the door shut, just like he should have done the last time the wizard came to his door.

Gandalf the Grey taps the window with his staff mouthing something through the glass, but Bilbo ignores him. _I am looking for someone to share in an adventure, oh yes, an adventure. I will never forgive you for your adventure, good sir._

“Be off with you! I need no more daring escapades, no more hairy situations and NO MORE HEARTBREAK!”

The meddlesome wizard does not press further, and Bilbo is left alone with his thoughts once again.

 

It is dark when he hears the third knock. The weather has worsened considerably, it’s now rainy and windy, stormy conditions for the Shire. It reminds Bilbo of the Storm Giants in the mountains and their terrible battle. He remembers a pair of warm, rough hands holding him tight, keeping him safe…

He is awake, staring blankly at the patterned drapes around his small warm bed, and when the knock comes it startles him. He rolls out of the quilt and shrugs on his patchwork dressing gown, shivering as he slides into his slippers. The little hobbit makes his way to the round door, ready to unleash a tirade of fury upon whoever it is this time. But when he opens the door he forgets everything.

A gust of wind blows raindrops onto his nice clean doormat, dampening the carpet. Bilbo doesn’t care.

“But…but you were dead.”

“No. Not quite.”

Thorin Oakenshield stands in the doorway, his majestic profile framed by the turbulent skies. He smiles softly, his blue eyes warm as he gazes at the hobbit. At _his_ hobbit.

“I came back for you.”

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this at 10.20 last night on the back of my study notes, so it may be a little rushed! Written for An Unexpected Anniversary. 
> 
> eveningisgrey.tumblr.com


End file.
